Indian Army's medical team deployed under Operation Dost returns from Turkey as rescue ends

India launched 'Operation Dost' to extend assistance to Turkiye as well as Syria after various parts of the two countries were hit by a devastating earthquake on February 6 that has killed over 30,000 people.

The Indian Army's medical team at Turkiye's Iskenderun region returned home after providing extensive services to a large number of earthquake-hit people.

"The 99-member self-contained team successfully set up & ran a fully equipped 30-bedded Field Hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay, attending nearly 4,000 patients," tweeted External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

Separately, the Army wrote,''IndianArmy Medical Facility at Iskenderun, Hatay, concluded their services amidst gratitude and applause from the locals. The team of 60 Para Field Hospital will be returning to #India after their selfless efforts in earthquake affected Türkiye.''

India launched 'Operation Dost' to extend assistance to Turkiye as well as Syria after various parts of the two countries were hit by a devastating earthquake on February 6 that has killed over 30,000 people.

India sent relief materials as well as medical and rescue teams to Turkiye following the quake. As part of quake assistance, India also sent relief materials and medicines to Syria.

Meanwhile, as the search and rescue effort for buried survivors of the February 6 earthquake started to wind down in Turkiye, demolition teams have moved in to clear the mounds of rubble left by the worst disaster in modern Turkish history.

The number of confirmed deaths in Turkiye due to the earthquake has risen to 44,377. The UN has said the full scope of the deaths in Syria may take time to determine.

Turkiye's disaster management said some 6,040 aftershocks hit the 11 provinces that form the disaster zone declared by the government in the days following the initial quake. The initial quake was measured with a magnitude of 7.8, and was followed nine hours later by a 7.5 magnitude tremor.

Some 105,794 buildings checked by Turkiye's Environment and Urbanisation Ministry are either destroyed or so badly damaged as to require demolition, the ministry said Sunday. Of these, 20,662 had collapsed, the statement said. The damaged or destroyed buildings contained more than 384,500 units, mostly residential apartments.